Fluoxetine Decreases the Proliferation and Adipogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

The study found that fluoxetine decreased the proliferation and adipogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) by inducing autophagy, as evidenced by increased expression of autophagy-related genes and proteins. The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) attenuated these effects, indicating that autophagy played a crucial role in fluoxetine's action. This suggested that fluoxetine could reduce fat accumulation by inhibiting ASC proliferation and differentiation, potentially contributing to weight loss. However, the study's small sample size of 3 limited the generalizability of the findings.